


'Til the Cages Fall

by belleyonce



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Enchanted Forest AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2017-11-05
Packaged: 2019-01-29 16:44:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12635040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belleyonce/pseuds/belleyonce
Summary: After Snow White and Prince Charming banish Regina, they rescue Belle from her tower. She comes to their castle and begins to search for a way back to Rumplestiltskin, only to find that he's in the dungeon of the same castle that she's in.





	'Til the Cages Fall

Belle stared at the ceiling of her tower cell hoping to soon slip into a state of unconsciousness as she had done every night for the past year and a half. At first she was filled with rage at the queen for locking her away and telling Rumplestiltskin that she had died. That rage quickly turned into a steely determination to escape any way possible. After trying climbing out her window, knocking out her guards, knocking out Regina herself, and finally screaming Rumplestiltskin’s name until her lungs gave out she realized that there was no escape. She was still an optimist however, and tried her very best to keep her sanity all the while hoping that someone would stop the Evil Queen’s reign of terror and come to her rescue. 

Right as she was dozing in that state between being asleep and awake she heard a loud crash and sat up with a start. Within a matter of seconds some soldiers that were clearly not Regina’s stormed her cell, swords ready, prepared to attack. Belle sat up on her bed, eyes wide, completely in shock. 

“That’s odd” said one of the soldiers “I would have thought she’d be hiding something dangerous all the way up here. It’s just a girl.” 

His partner was more wary of her. “Who are you, girl, and why has the Evil Queen locked you up?” he asked, pointing his sword dangerously close to her throat.

Belle knew that these men probably would not react well to knowing the truth of her past and she may soon find herself simply being moved from one prison to another. And not wanting to go through the trouble of keeping up with a lie just yet she did what anyone else would do in her shoes. She feigned a fainting spell. However, Belle had underestimated how hard her fall to the ground was going to be and as she was hearing more footsteps enter the tower, her world went black.

 

She awoke cocooned in what felt like the most luxurious bed she’d slept upon in ages. For a brief moment, she was convinced that she had died and gone to heaven. That was until she opened her eyes to find a richly appointed bedroom devoid of books, obviously there’d be books in heaven. 

Just as she was about to move to leave her bed and figure out exactly where she was there was a knock on the door and a petite red haired maid entered carrying a breakfast tray. 

“Hello, miss, I’m glad to see you’re awake, you’ve been out for a while now.” she said with a smile.

Belle was shocked, it hadn’t felt terribly long to her, “Really? How long?”

“Don’t worry, it was only a few days. But you should really eat, it will help build up your strength. I’m going to go tell the King and Queen that you’re awake, if you don’t mind”  
Belle stared at the maid in confusion, the only King and Queen she knew of were Regina and King George, and neither of them would go to the trouble of making sure she was comfortable and well-fed.

The maid clearly sensed her confusion “Oh right, I’m so sorry, you don’t know, Snow White and Prince Charming have taken back the kingdom! You’re safe from Regina now, I promise, she’s been banished. I’ll leave right now to fetch them, they should be here soon.” Then she left the room.

Belle leaned back against the pillows and sighed with relief, it was strange to know that she was truly free for the first time in a long time, she didn’t have to worry about Regina or her father, once she regained her strength, she could do whatever she wanted, she could finally go back to him.

“All I have to do is summon him” she murmured to herself. 

“Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin.” she whispered.

She looked around, expecting to see a poof of smoke accompanied by a high pitched giggle but saw nothing. She tried summoning him once more and still nothing. She began pacing around the room, either he didn’t want to see her or something was horribly wrong. Belle wasn’t quite sure which option was worse.

Her anxious thoughts were interrupted by a gentle knock on the door, followed by Prince Charming and Snow White entering her new bedchamber.

“Hi, I hope you don’t mind us barging in. We just wanted to make sure that you’re doing alright” Snow asked sweetly

Charming interjected, “And ask you some questions, if you don’t mind.”

Belle sat on one of the plush chairs next to the fireplace, “Of course your majesties, I’m doing much better and I’m ever so grateful for your kindness in taking me in, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to tell you much, Regina seems to have erased most of my memories. I have no idea of who I am, or why she locked me away.”

The King and Queen seemed to accept this, “We’re so sorry she’s treated you this way” Snow reached for her hand, “I promise that we’ll do everything in our power to give you a new life.”

“Do you at least remember your name?” Charming asked sympathetically

Belle considered his question for a brief moment, giving a fake name would keep her father from finding her and forcing her to marry again and forget about Rumple. But if she gave her real name perhaps word would reach Rumple that she’s alive and well, wherever he is.

“Yes I do remember that, my name is Belle.”


End file.
